Changeable sign



April 22, 1930. l R. N. CHUBB CHANGEABT'F? SIGN I NVEN TOR.'

Patented Apr. y2?, 17930 I {UNI-'ranv STATES `IR`WLAND.,N. QHUBB, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA f CHANGEABLE SIGN Application filed October 22, 1927,. ySerial'No. 227,999.

The present invention relates to methods and means for makingchangeable signs andI forchanging such signs. as desired.y

My previous inventionsin changeable signs 5 have contemplated the use of movable members of various construction for creating changeable signs and it is an obj ectof this invention to provide a distinctly different changeable sign which does not come within the scopeof any of my previous inventions and claims.

Thisinvention has for its principal object l the provision of a very simple economical and highly usefulchangeable sign. Another object of the invention-is to provide a sign in which the construction of the body of the sign is extremelysimpleand durable and in which the movable elements which are employed to make up the legend of the sign are simple, interchangeable and all substantially similar and. not originally forming a part of o? otherwise complicating the construction of the sign body. p Still another object of the invention is to provide a sign having a simple and even single source of light, although the completed sign -will have thecappearance of being vmade up of a great number of separate incandescent lamps.

j provide a sign which may be employed either for daylight vuse or for illumination by artiicial light/ A In connection with articially xillumined signs it is a further object of my invention to provide a brilliantly illumined sign for `carrying out the foregoing objects, which sign so controls the light that no light rays y vide a face plate, preferably fan opaque maclose parallel lineal formations so thatthe perforations-are arranged in parallel lines respectively. The remaining surface or back- Still another object of my inventioii is to 'in Figure 2.

terial provided throughout its surface" area" with a multiplicity of apertures arranged in 'ransversely`7 longitudinally .and obliquely, l

' bodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, I employ 100 I i i y if.

ground of the face plate may be light or dark as desired. In using a lightfface plate I em` p ploy dark members to makeup the legend of v the sign. In employing a dark or black face' plate I employ light colored members to make up the sign legend. Either the'light or dark members may be translucent, as will appear hereinafter. Assuming that a 'dark face plate is employed, I employ a plurality of translucent or light colored members, each a'dapt- 60 edlto occupy a corresponding aperture. Cer- 1 tain selected apertures, which by virtue of their disposition follow the path ofthe desired letter, number, or lcommercial ligure, are selected and filled with the translucent members. All other apertures are filled with the dark or opaque members, or, the letters `may be formed of an arrangement of members of one color while the main background may be made up with members of a contrastp ing color; the last named members being e1ther opaque or translucent.

The sign is visible and the letters and vcharacters so formed are rendered perfectlyY distlnct vat a distance either by reason of the .75 ,contrasting colors of the said members or by.

reason of the fact that certain of the members 1 transmit light while the other members are opaque and comparatively imperceptible.

I have illustrated one of the many practical 80 l embodiments of my invention by the accompanylngA drawlngs, 1n which:

Figure 1 is a 'face view of a fragment of a sign constructed in conformity with my invention. A g

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section there- Figure 3 is a view in verticalsection ofna slight modification of the construction shown 9'0 Figure 4 is a view in elevation of a modi` fied constructionfor the movable members.

Figure 5 is a view in section of a fragment 'of the sign shown in Figure 2, but in which 95 the movable member employed is a modi-- fication of the members' shown in Figures 2 and Lfrespectively. f I l In carrying out my invention in the, em`

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-. visible both from points directly forward of l what as a condensing lens and convey the a simple opaque sheet 7 u of suitable material l such as metal, wood, paper or the like.

This sheet or face plate is provided throughout its area Vwith closely arranged j apertures 8 ,arranged in vertical, horizontal and oblique lines, respectively.

Fpr each aperture there is provided lthe movable member suchF as 9 or 10; in this -case comprising asphere'or ball of a translucent material such as glass. This ball is'appreciably larger than .the aperture so that when placed in front of an aperture it will entirely exclude the passage of light through the said aperture, and theL maj Qrbulk of the ball will' stand'` forwardly of the aperture to be clearly lthe face plate as well as from points to either side thereof. In fact this ballor sphere is mor/e visible from angular points of vision rather than rearwardly thereo than are the illumined elements Vof any of the common convex signs now-in use. The par-V ticular advantage of this sign is that the sphgres are disposed forwardlf of the platev ably disposed'behind the sign supplies the illumination. Asthe rays oflight from the lamp strike the various. translucent members said members, being spherical, each act somelight rays through the structure of the sphere and vemit these rays in the character of a brilliant and suitably diffused glow. The opaque spheres do not show any appreciable leakage of light because of the fact that each sphere is substantially larger than the corresponding aperture.

In the sign shown in'Figure 2, Ieach member 9 and 10,\is provided with a stem 14: having one end attached to, or embedded in,

l the sphere andthe other end 15 free. The vstem protrudes directly fromthe corresponding sphere.' To install a sphere in place in front of anaperture the stem-is introduced through the'aperture. The sphere is then re- 'leased 'and the weight of the stem, acting as a counterbalance for the sphere, holds the 'sphere in the position shown merely through the aid of gravity and Without any rictional or other connection'between thesplrereandMv the face plate. Practically speaking, each l, sphere is hookedf to the margin-of the correspondingv aperture ini such manner that the sphere is contiguous the aperture, to the practical exclusion of i light rays; except of course for the rays which pass through the translucent spheres.

In the form shown in Figure 3 there is provideda rear face plate 15 in addi-tion to the front face plate. This rear face plate is slightly spaced from the other plate and its apertures 16while corresponding to the apertures in the front plate, are-each smaller in diameter. vThus direct passage of light raysaround the margin of a front aperture and a 'correspondingfsphere, are interfered withby the rear faceplate. l

Inf'the form""shwn'i'n 'Figure 4,1the mem-4 ber 9 is' 'shownjasiiloinposed of the same material, the'sphere andstem being integral and preferably composed of glass or the like.

In the sign shown in Figure 5 only the front plate is used. The spheres, however, are each provided with a groove 17 so arranged that when the sphere is in proper position the margins of the corresponding aperture extend into the groove and exclude the light rays from passing ,directly between the face plate and the sphere. Itis undercomparatively thin material and it is not commercially practical to provide a perfect stood, of course, that the face plate is of a I fit between the surface of the sphere and the striking color, while the members .10 are of v a contrasting color. Injsuch case all the members andthe face plate may'l be either opaque or translucent as desired, but in either case, the face plate should be of the same color as either members 9 or 10.

It will be apparent now that I have provided a highly legible andlbrilliant sign on which the letters, characters,"iigures and representations may be readily changed, and, while I have shown and described certain constructions and arrangements of parts,`1` do not limit myself thereto and may employ various constructions,l arrangements and color schemes within the scope of the appended claims. g f v Iclaimz 1. In a signaface plate provided with a plurality of apertures, a plurality of members, one removably lodged in each aperture, each member being larger than the corresponding aperture, and having its maj or bulk to the margin of wdisposed forwardly of said plate, certain of said members being translucent and others being opaque, and a lamp behind said face I plate.

2. In a sign a faceplate provided with a lurality of apertures; a plurality of memers, one removably lodged in each aperture,

A' each member being larger than the Vcorrespondingaperture, and having its major bulky d1sposed forwardly of said plate, and means on each member for removably hooking same to the margin of the corresponding aperture,

certain of said members being translucentl and others being opaque, and a lalnp behind said face plate. x

3. In a sign a face plate provided with a plurality of apertures, a yplurality of members, one removably lodged in each aperture, each memberlbeing larger than the corref spond'ing aperture, and having its major bulk disposed forwardly of said plate, certain of said members being translucent and `arranged in lineal formation `to form legible characters .and the remaining of said members being opaque and of a contrasting degree of Visibility and a lamp to the rear of said plate.

l aperture closing members, each member comprising a sphere of larger diameter than the aperture -anda stem to saidsphere insertable in a corresponding aperture, said stem disposed to counterweight said .sphere and to Y hold same contiguous to the margin of a corresponding aperture.

6. In a sign a face plate provided with a plurality of equal diametered circular, apertures, aplurality of spheres, one in each lsuch y aperture, certain ofl said spheres being transllucent and arranged to outline sign characters and theremainder of said spheres being opaque; eachf'of saidspheres being larger than the corespnding aperture and having 'or bulk projecting forwardly of said its mai face p ate and its minor bulk projecting inwardly of the corresponding aperture, and a i lamp disposed to the rear of said plate to throw light rays on the minor bulk of said spheres. A

7. In a sign a face plate provided with a plurality of apertures, and a plurality of.

aperture closing opaque members, each member comprising a head of larger diameter than the aperture and a stem tosaid head inserted in said aperture corresponding, said stem dis- 4. In a sign-a face plate piovided with a v plurality of apertures, and a plurality of ap-fv 8. Ina sign a face plate provided with ai I pluralityof apertures and a plurality of aper-, ture closlng opaque members each comprising a head of larger diameter than the aper ture; said head beingv disposed forwardly of said plate, and means on each member for removably hooking same to the margin of the corresponding aperture, and a'lamp' behind said face plate.

9. In a sign an opaque plate provided with f an aperture, and a translucent solid-bodied member inserted in said aperture; said member conforming in shape to the aperture while being larger than the aperture with the major bulk of the member disposed forwardly of the plate and the minor bulk protruding rear- -Wardly thru the aperture, and a lamp bef hlnd said plate.

vRoWLAiiID N. CHUBB.v

posedto counterweight said head and tohold .i

same contiguous Lto the -marginzof a corresponding aperture.

llO 

